Modern Management: concepts and skills, 14/e

Challenge Case Summary

Increasing productivity at 3M, as described in the Challenge Case, is mainly a matter of integrating resources such as people, equipment, and materials to reduce cycle times.

Because the level of productivity at 3M was far from ideal, management, under the leadership of former CEO George Buckley and Senior Vice President John Woodworth, decided that the company had to lower its operating costs through improved productivity. The cost savings would enable profits to continue growing even during periods of sluggish sales. Basic methods of improving productivity included shortening supply chains and improving energy efficiency. Other ways to improve productivity at 3M could include more effective training programs and more ...